> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.layerrail.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# PostgreSQL backup and restore

> How LayerRail handles automated PostgreSQL backups, retention windows, point-in-time recovery, and how to restore a database from a snapshot.

Backups protect you from accidental deletion, bad deploys, and application-level data corruption.

## What to back up

For each production database, plan for:

* Full database backups.
* Point-in-time recovery where available.
* Schema migration history.
* Application secrets needed to reconnect.
* A tested restore process.

## Export a backup

For manual exports, use `pg_dump` from a trusted machine:

```bash theme={null}
pg_dump "$DATABASE_URL" > layerrail-backup.sql
```

Compress the dump:

```bash theme={null}
gzip layerrail-backup.sql
```

## Restore a dump

```bash theme={null}
gunzip layerrail-backup.sql.gz
psql "$DATABASE_URL" < layerrail-backup.sql
```

<Warning>
  Restoring into an existing database can overwrite or duplicate data depending on the dump format. Test restores in a staging database first.
</Warning>

## Production checklist

* Know the recovery time objective for the app.
* Test restores before you need them.
* Store backups outside the application VM.
* Restrict who can download backups.
* Keep audit logs for backup access.